EAST PROVIDENCE, RI (August 15, 2016) -- Dean
Parziale does not have the same history in RIGA events
as Bobby Leopold, George Pirie and Brad Valois. On
Monday, though, Parziale was right there battling for
the lead with those other guys.

In some ways, Parziale had the most exciting day
of anyone in the opening round of the association’s 23rd
Mid-Am Championship at Metacomet.

Leopold, Pirie and Valois have made it a habit to
put their name high on RIGA leaderboards. Rarely,
though, have all three been at the top at the same time
as they did Monday.

Leopold holds the lead, thanks to a bogey-free 4-
under 66. Hall of Famer Pirie recorded a 67 and so did
four-time Amateur champion Valois to be part of a
three-way tie for second.

He needed every shot because his 67 was good
enough for only a tie for the Senior Division lead with
the day’s surprise star, Parziale. Parziale turned in
perhaps the most impressive performance of all. Playing
from the blue, rather than the black tees, Parziale
carded a 67 that included eagles on the only two par-5s
on the course.

Parziale, who stands in second place to Paul Quigley
in the association’s Senior Player of the Year race, got
home on the par-5 second hole with a four hybrid and
canned a 15-footer for eagle. Then, on the par-5 ninth,
he hit a seven iron within three feet for another eagle.
He also had birds of 4, 14 and 16 so that even with four
bogeys he posted a 3-under total on the day.

As it is, the 56-year-old Parziale has only a share of
the Senior Division lead because Pirie is in that division
too, even though he is playing from the back tees.
Seniors who play from the back tees are eligible to
compete on both the overall and the Senior Division
competition.

Pirie had a memorable day of his own with four
birdies and only one bogey (on the third hole) playing
from the back, which is 6,501-yards. At age 66, he
came within one stroke of shooting his age. He refuses
to take advantage of the policy the RIGA instituted two
years ago allowing players 55 and older to play from
shorter tees.

"I won’t be doing that any time soon," he said of
teeing it forward. Pirie won this event in 2000, when it
was held at Valley, his home course.

The overall leader, Leopold, did not create nearly as
much excitement as Pirie and Parziale did in the Senior
Division. Leopold, in fact, credited the relaxed
atmosphere with helping him have such a good day.

"It’s easy when you don’t think about it too much,"
Leopold said.

Valois shot 67 and was a bit disappointed. Playing
on his home course, he went out in 4-under 32 and
when he birdied the 243-yard par-3 12th, stood at 5-
under. But then he doubled the par-4 14th and settled
for his 67.

"I missed a five-footer on 11 and missed a six-
footer on 13, then got mad and did something stupid.
I’ve done it before," said Valois.

Jamie Lukowicz, who has won this event each of
the last two years is not competing because of work
requirements.

ABOUT THE Rhode Island Mid-Amateur

Open to male amateur golfers who are members
with
a RIGA member club, have reached their 25th
birthday
by the start of the event, and an index no more than
12.0. Format is 36-holes of stroke play with a cut to
the low 55 players and ties after the first round.
There
will also be a senior division for those 55 and older.